Parallel and sectional ruler



March 11 1924. 1,486,455

I R. W. ROBINSON PARALLEL AND SECTiONAL RULER Filed Jan. 11 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 11 1924.

31,486,455 R. W. ROBINSON PARALLEL AND SECTIONAL RULER Filed Jan. 11, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v n5 Te i E. 1 26 Ea uvso v 1M March 11 1924. 11,486,455

R. W. ROBINSON.

PARALLEL AND SECTIONAL RULER Filed Jan. 11 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5.

March 11 1924. v 1l,486,4l55

R. w. ROBINSON PARALLEL AND SEGTIONAL RULER Filed Jan. 11, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 is an n en-ill L5 nhearnio =31. 0V] ENGLAND.

EAJPJLELLLEL AND .SEGF JIGNAL EUJLEB.

application filed January 11, 1922.

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it Known that For YBRAJTS lt-oizrusorr, a subject of he -iug oi Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Man low, cou y or lBu have inve d a. linproveine in Parallel an Sectional Rulers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved parallel and sectional ruler, with which parallel lines can be ruled at any required disstances without making separate ineasurein and which can be set for any given spacing up to the limit of i s ca pacity, and a series of lin s ruled quiclrly with that spacing.

0 As a sectional ruler it can be set quickly ror any spacing.

is a parallel ruler it con bines several dis tinct features.

1. A series of parallel lines can be ruled, each line be'ng at any desired distance from the preced b one, without making any measurements.

Arv required number or" parall l lines can be ruled, at equal distances apart, and in such a way that the last ine shall be at required distance from the first, thus dividing a given space into any required number of equal parts.

3. The ruler can also be so set that, startwith very close spacing, which can be as close as desired, and then increasing the between each lin ruled and the preone, a predetermined amount each time to a ce sin point, and then reversing a perfectly regular shading efcolui u, or shaft. can be produce such manner that the lat line will so atany required distance from the first, thus uniformly shading-in acolumn or she "t, or other Cll'CLi .r object, of any given diameter.

Broadly, the invention consists of mountone member or the ruler slidably within or on an inclined edge of the other, the inclined edge or enacting edge being gradiu ated, the operation of sliding what will be termed the inner ineinber along said edge spacing the opposite edge of the inner meanber a specified distance (according to the graduation slid to) from an edge of the other or outer member. The latter is then slid on the inner member which is held still until the spaced edges abut, and the ruling edge of cuter member will then have feet. to

Serial No. 528,486.

travelled the specified distance from the last position. Various other features are, or may be, used, all as will be seen from the following description and the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein Figure l is plan; and,

Figure 2 an inverted plan of the device; whilst,

Figure 3 represents the inner sliding member.

Figure l shows a section or the frame through the line 70, 7c in Figure 1; and

Figure 5 shows a section through the line Z, Z '11 Figure 1.

l -gure 6 is view similar to Figure 1, but showing modified construction of ruler for use in conjunction with a straight edge.

Figure 7 is a plan view of an alternative simplified construction of ruler.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a detachable scale employed in the construction of ruler shown in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is an underside plan view illustrative of the construction of the slidable Figure 10 represents a modified construction in which lever pointer takes the place of tee sliding pointer and disc shown in lhgure 6 conta ning an inner member 7), constituting a s i r triangle, said frame consisting of two layers with openings through them of ditlerent forms. The form of the opening in the upper layer is seen in Figure 1; the "form of the opening in the lower layer is seen in Figure 2. When the two layers are super osed they form a truncated triangular aine with recesses on both its upper and lower surfaces. as shown in the draw- The triangle Z slides in the triangular recess formed by the opening in the lower layer of the frame a, a portion of each end of said triangl always being under the upper layer of said frame. A wing b attached to the upper side of the triangle 6 is accommodated by the opening in the upper layer of the frame a, but does not come into contact with the edges of the opening, as shown. in Figures 7!. and 5. The Wing; l1

projects over and rests on the lower layer of the frame, but is raised above it when. the frame is on a flat surface, as shown in Figures 1 and 5. The triangle 6 is thinner than the lower layer of the frame, so that, on a flat surface, it moves easily under the upper layer as shown in Figure 5. A lever c is attached to the upper side of the frame by a suitable bolt (Z secured by a nut d, preferably countersunk in the underside of the frame as shown in Figure 4. The nut (Z is tightened sufficiently to keep th lever 0 from being too easily moved. On the underside of the lever 0, near its upper end, is se cured a round stud e, which projects through an opening 7", in th form of an arc, in the frame; this stud nearly reaches the level of the under surface of the frame and regulates the amount of the movement of the triangle Z) in the fame, as shown in Figure 2. A graduated scale ,7 is provided, over the opening 7, in conjunction with which scale a pointer line 6' on the lever c regulates the opening for which the lever is set, and there is another scale it on the frame on which the line b on the triangle 7) also registers the spacing. These scales are shown graduated to sixtyfourths of an inch, but they can he graduated in any manner desired.

The flat wing Z) attached to the upper side of the triangle 6 keeps it from falling out of the frame. The holes 7', sunk in the upper side of the frame, and the similar hole j, sunk in the triangle 7), are for the tips of the fingers to facilitate the sliding of the frame and triangle on the paper. The ruling edge a of the frame, and the straight edge a are preferably formed at right angles, so that the ruler can be used as an ordinary set square.

The method of using this improved ruler as a sectional ruler is as follows To rule a series of parallel lines spaced at equal distances, the pointer line 6 on the lever 0, Figure 1, is moved into alignment with the graduation on the scale 5]. representing the distance required, and the first line having been ruled, along the ruling edge a, the frame is held in place, whilst the triangle Z) is moved towards the lever c, with its lower edge in contact with the frame, till it is stopped by thestud e on the pointer c. The triangle then being held in place on the paper, the frame is moved down into contact with its upper edge, and the next line is ruled, and the same process is repeated for each line. Any number of parallel lines equally spaced can thus be ruled, and sectional shading with any desired spacing produced.

,The method of using this ruler as a parallel ruler is as follows To rule two lines at a given distance apart, thelever c is moved out of the way, towards the left hand end of the scale 9, and the first line having been ruled as before, another can then be ruled at any required distance from it. by sliding the triangle Z2, with its lower edge in contact wit-h the frame, which is held in place till the fixed pointer b on the triangle Z) registers the distance required on the scale it below it, Figure l. The triangle then being held in place, the frame is brought down into contact with it as before and the next line ruled. Another line can then be ruled at any required distance from this last one in the same manner. Should the spacing required be greater than the compass of the scale, two or more sliding movements of triangle and frame can b made.

Referring now to the construction of ruler shown in Figure 6.

The lower edge a of the frame a is also graduated, as shown, so that it can be used in counjunetion with a straight edge, on which a starting line has been marked. This permits of spacing a line at a distance from another which would necessitate several movements of triangle and frame in the ordinary way.

The scale 71, Figuresfi and 8, is removable from the frame a, and is graduated for 1/64Eth on one ed e, and millimeters on its opposite edge, so that by reversing said scale, measurements can'be made by the metric system. This scale may also be graduated on both edges of its reverse side, so that it may contain four separate scales. It has a slight longitudinal movement in the frame a, and is held in place by a spring h; it can thus be kept as accurately adjusted as may be necessary to compensate for any slight variation, caused by expansion, or shrinkage of frame or triangle. Extra scales can easily be made on a piece of card for special work or exact duplications.

A pointer b is slidably mounted under the wing 7) of the triangle 6, to register with the upper graduations on the scale 71, and a snail or spiral disc Z3 is rotatably mounted on the triangle 7) to register with a scale Zr on said triangle 6, and engage, when required, with the slidable pointer 5 The working of this form of ruler, for parallel lines and sectioning, is the same as described with reference to the previous form of ruler, but to rule a given number of parallel lines equally spaced so that the last shall be an required distance from the first, thus dividing a given space into the required number of equal parts, the sliding pointer Z9 on the triangle l) is used instead of the fixed pointer W. The total distance is expressed in sixty-fourths of an inch, and this number is divided by the number of spaces required, carrying out to two decimal places. he snail or spiral disc is is set to register the fractiono'f the result, and the sliding pointer b is pushed up against the disc. The integer of the result is the number of sixty-fourths on the scale it with which the sliding pointer Z9 must be made to register for each line. F or instance: To rule parallel lines which shall divide, a 1;; inch space, into eleven equal parts. 1*} equals 80 sixty-fourths. 80 divided by 11 equals 7.27. The spiral disc is is set to reg ister 27 on the scale and the sliding pointer b is moved into contact with said disc, and for each line the triangle 5 is moved as described above, till the pointer b registers 7' on the scale h. If a series of lines be ruled with this setting, the twelfth will be 11; inch from the first, and the space will be divided into eleven equal parts. In the above case, the frame a and triangle 5 could be held in place, at the start, with the pointer Z2 registering 7 on the scale 71, and the lever 0 be moved up against the triangle 1), and the ruling could then be done as described above for sectional ruling.

To rule parallel lines which shall produce a shading effect on a circular column, or shaft, or other cylindrical object The working of the arrangement by which this is accomplished is based on the fact that if a series of parallel lines be ruled, at gradually increasing distances apart, and so that, taking the distance between the first and second as the unit of measurement, the distance between the second and third be made two units, and that between the third and fourth three units, and so on to any point, and then the process be reversed, decreasing the spacing one unit at each step, till a spacing of one unit is again arrived at, only one of the largest spaces having been produced, then the distance from the first line ruled to the last, in these same units, will be the square of the number of units in the largest space ruled. Therefore, if the unit used is 1/64th inch, to go up to 8/64t-hs and back, as above described, would produce a total width of 64/64 or 1 inch. To go up to 9/64 and back, would give a width of 81/64. So that to thus shade in a column of 1, inch diameter, with a scale, graduated to sixty-fourths of an inch, the spacing would have to increase, for eight steps, a little more than 1/64th inch at each step. As the difference between the square of a number, and that of the next higher number, is the sum of the two numbers, in the present case 17, and as the difference between the square of 8 and 76 is 12, it follows that for 76/64, each space will have to be 1/64 plus 12/17 of 1/64, which, expressed as a two-place decimal fraction is .71. The ruling is therefore done by setting the spiral disc 70 to 71, sliding the pointer 72 into contact with it, and then proceeding as before, using the pointer 5 and registering 1/64 for the first step, that is, for the first line from the starting line, 2/64 for h se d, nd so 1. p t /64 and bacl: again. Each distance registered by the pointer Z2 is increased by the fraction of 1/64 inch, for which the spiral disc 7.: is set.

In practice, the calculation, for any diameter of this style of ruling, can be made very easily by using the following table, which accompanies each ruler, and gives opposite each number its square and the fraction to be added for each sixty-fourth of an inch over that square, it being only necessary to multiply the fraction by the number of sixty-fourths by which the desired shading exceeds the next lowest square number; For the above case, opposite 8 is found 64 and .059, which last multiplied by 12 gives .71 to two places as above.

Table giving numbers, with their squares and the fraction. to be added for each sixtyfourth of an inch, that measurement desired exceeds square number.

15 225 .032 j r l Should finer shading be desired, the calculation, in units of 1/128, can be made from the same table, by basing the calculation on double the diameter desired, expressed in sixty-fourths. To shade the above size column; 76 multiplied by 2 equals 152, the highest square below which is 144, the square of 12-, the difference is 2, and multiplying the fraction .04 (found in the table opposite 12) by 8 gives .32, the spiral disc in is therefore set to half of this, or 16, and the shading started on 1/128 graduation, and increased one of these, each time, to 12 and back. Still finer shading can be produced with unit of 1/256, and by using differently graduated scales, with units of 1/96 and 1/192.

In practice, it is found that as the width of the first space, in this style of shading, varies nearly 100 per cent, according to the setting of the disc 1, theappearance of the shading is somewhat spoiled, and for this reason, the actual rule for setting the disc k and ruling the lines at the start and finish, is a modification of the above, as follows 2 is subtracted from the number of sixtyfourths representing the desired width of the shading, and the first and last lines are ruled at 1/64 or 1/128, etc., as the case may be, as set by the fixed pointer b on the triangle 6 and the rest by the sliding pointer as before.

It is obvious that many mechanical equivalents could be substituted for the disc I}; to obtain similar results. For instance, a bellcranked indicator pivoted at its angle to the triangle 6 could be employed, having one short arm for the pointer on to the scale it and the other arm, a long arm, pointing on to an arcuate scale graduated as k.

In an alternative and simplified construction of ruler above described, and shown in Figure 6, the snail or spiral disc is, the slidable pointer 6 the detachable scale it, and its holding down spring h, are dispensed with, and, as shown in Figure 7, a slida-ble pointer or bar 0 with pointer line 0 thereon to register with the scale g, which scale 9 is now located on the triangle 6, now takes the place of the pointerc, and by abutting against the cross member m of the frame a controls the length of the movement of the triangle 5. In this construction of ruler, the pointer is now made movable and adjustable to register with a fixed scale h on the frame a.

Figure 9 shows the underside of the triangle 5 employed in the various forms of ruler. When constructed of wood, the cross pieces o are set into the ends, the grain running across the triangle, and they may project slightly beyond its top and bottom edges, so that any shrinkage in the material of which the triangle is constructed will not affect its accuracy. These pieces may also project slightly below the lower surface of the triangle, thus being the only part in contact with the paper, thereby giving the triangle a better hold on the paper, tending to avoid slipping.

In the construction shown in Figures 10 and 11, the long arm .1 of the pointer is moved to register the fraction required on the scale 7c, in the same manner as it is registered by the spiral disc in Figure 6, thereby setting the short arm 1 of the pointer in the correct position for that fraction.

The long arm of the pointer is bent down at 72 into the recess k in the upper side of the triangle Z) so that it passes freely under the cross piece a The plate on which the lever pointer is pivoted can be adjusted by loosening the screw 70 so that the short arm 73 may be made to register zero on the scale when the long arm registers zero on the scale it and triangle is at the end of its motion.

A screw stop m on the cross piece a is so adjusted that it just keeps the triangle from jamming in the frame.

For sectional ruling, the triangle 6 is slid in the usual manner till the pointer registers the spacing desired on the scale, and then the stop a is slid into contact with the cross piece a, when the ruler is set for that spacing.

The stop a is shown in elevation in Figure 11, to a larger scale, and is moved by simply pressing down its upper plate a, when it can be slid to the desired position, and when released it is locked in position by the bevelled stud a engaging with the bevelled under edges of the slot n The pin a slides freely in the slot.

I claim 1. A ruler including a frame provided with a ruling edge and having an opening one side of which provides a gauge edge disposed at an angle with reference to the ruling edge, a scale on the said gauge edge, a shiftable gauge member carrying a marker adapted to be read in conjunction with said scale and said gauge member adapted to be shifted along the gauge edge to thereby be moved to a new position where it may be held while the frame is being adjusted to the new set position of the gauge member.

2. A ruler including a frame provided with a ruling edge and a gauge edge dis posed obliquely to said ruling edge, a scale carried by the gauge edge, a shiftable gauge member adapted to be shifted along said gauge edge, and an adjustable pointer carried by said gauge member and adapted to cooperate with said scale.

3. A ruler including a frame provided with a ruling edge and a gauge edge disposed obliquely to said ruling edge, a scale carried by the gauge edge, a shift-able gauge member adapted to be shifted along said gauge edge, a second scale on said gauge member representing fractions of the divisions of the scale on the said gauge edge and an adjustable pointer also carried by said gauge member and adapted to cooperate with said scale,said adjustable point or comprising a right angular lever pivoted at its angle and one arm thereof constituting the pointerfor cooperating with the gauge edge of the frame and the other arm cooperating with said fractional scale.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature hereto this 30th day of December 1921.

RGCHFURT WYBRANTS ROBKNSUN. 

